1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of methods and apparatus for digital content delivery, and more particularly for regulated digital content delivery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Exhibitions, such as trade shows, are held regularly in many industries in order to provide exhibitors an opportunity to demonstrate their wares to potential purchasers. Exhibitors typically occupy a demonstration booth or the like from which they may present their products and/or services. Traditionally, exhibitors offer printed product literature and/or software-based materials such as CDs and DVDs having product information for interested parties to take in order to learn more about the exhibitor's products or services. Such product literature and materials tends to be expensive both to produce and to transport to and from the exhibition.
Exhibition attendees also face challenges with traditional literature collection. For example, an exhibition attendee who is interested in many different products can quickly accumulate several pounds of paper literature, software-based materials, and other media, which the attendee must lug around the exhibition and eventually transport home. Further, such accumulation of paper literature and other media tends to get jumbled up and disorganized. Thus, the attendee likely loses track of certain literature that was obtained during the exhibition. Further paper-based materials are not easily searched, and are not readily shared with colleagues absent manual photocopying and distribution. On the other hand, software-based DVDs and CDs are not readily organized.
Additionally, due to the fact that it is impossible to predict exactly how many attendees will choose to accept particular product literature, there is a tendency to over-order the amount of product literature that is necessary, resulting in substantial waste and cost. Further, even if product literature is accepted by attendees, such literature will, over time, become redundant or out-of-date, and must be disposed of, resulting in substantial environmental impact.
Similar concerns also arise in other contexts, whether it be distribution of materials in a formal or informal educational context, seminars or the like. Also, management of commercial literature, such as brochures and the like, requires attention and effort to ensure appropriate literature is kept up-to-date and available at appropriate locations.